Thiruvananthapuram: In the controversial monthly pay-off case, Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan did not present evidence showing alleged involvement of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in it. He only submitted the Cabinet meeting minutes before the Special Vigilance Court, which will announce its verdict in his petition on May 3.

Kuzhalnadan had demanded the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to investigate the matter. However, he later urged the court to directly investigate the case, following which the court had directed him to present the evidence proving the involvement of the Chief Minister in allotting a permit for the mining of mineral sand worth crores of rupees for a lesser amount of money. However, the Muvattupuzha MLA presented only the minutes of the Cabinet meeting as evidence. 

Meanwhile, the Vigilance Department informed the court that the government policies cannot be accepted as evidence. 

Kuzhalandan in his petition had alleged that the CMRL company had received undue favour for mineral sand mining and in return it paid a monthly quota to the Chief Minister’s daughter. 

The Vigilance, on the other hand, has taken a stance from the beginning that the petition will not stand and hence should be dismissed. However, the court has not accepted that argument.